Our Mission

​Mother of Sorrows School is an accredited teaching institution in the state of Pennsylvania, and a component of the education ministry of the Catholic Diocese of Greensburg, Pennsylvania. We embrace the mission to educate according to state and national standards, while instilling lifelong Christian values in the students. The school is comprised of a faith-filled community that learns, plays, and prays together in all facets of life.

Our History

​Mother of Sorrows School was established as a mission of the Diocese of Greensburg in 1963, to help teach the children of the parish. Our school operated as a parish school until 2009, when it became a separate Pennsylvania Charitable Trust, as well as a regional school.

Mother of Sorrows School now supports the mission of the parishes that combine to create the northwest region of Westmoreland County, including: Mother of Sorrows, Murrysville; St. Mary, Our Lady of Lourdes, Export; St. John Baptist de la Salle, Delmont; and St. Regis, Trafford.

Meet Our New Principal

GREENSBURG — Theresa Szmed, a Delmont resident who has been a Catholic school teacher and administrator for nearly 30 years, has been appointed the new principal of Mother of Sorrows School, Murrysville.

Dr. Maureen Marsteller, superintendent of Catholic schools, introduced Szmed to the faculty and staff of Mother of Sorrows School July 21.

Her appointment at MOSS is effective Aug. 1.

Szmed is a strong advocate of the STREAM school model (science, technology, religion, engineering, arts and mathematics). One of her first goals at MOSS will be to continue to work toward the implementation of Project Lead the Way, a problem-based approach to instruction, while ensuring the academic excellence of all curricular areas, Dr. Marsteller said in her letter to the MOSS community.

Szmed has served as principal of St. John the Baptist School in Plum for the past three years and was a middle school science teacher and program director at the school for 16 years prior to being named principal. She also taught middle school science at St. Raphael School, Pittsburgh, and middle school English at St. Joseph School, Verona.

She has a master's degree in education and K-12 education administration certification from Duquesne University, Pittsburgh. She earned her bachelor's degree in education from the University of Pittsburgh after graduating from the former Divine Providence Academy in Pittsburgh.

Our Beliefs

​Our StudentsThe mission of Catholic education is universal, as dictated by the Vatican, and dedicated to improving the lives of all children. Mother of Sorrows School is committed to serving all children placed in our charge, regardless of creed, nationality, and economic circumstance.

Our FacultyA highly-qualified teaching staff is an essential component of our mission. We are committed to recruiting and maintaining a staff that is skilled and knowledgeable, enthusiastic and dedicated, constantly growing professionally and personally, and attentive to the academic needs of individual students.

Our AdministrationThe administration team provides crucial operational, academic, and professional leadership in service of the mission. We serve students, parents, and employees by responding to concerns in a timely and sensitive manner; maintaining a school environment that is safe, peaceful, and conducive to learning; and finding resources to maintain and expand our academic programs.

Our Parents and GuardiansSupportive families serve as the stewards of our school. Our families contribute by helping one another through development efforts, welcoming new families and assisting those in need, and participating in our PTO.